Government will confirm 30hr funding review in two weeks
The 30hrs free childcare funding review will be announced on the 25 November alongside the government spending review. Many nurseries over the summer were approached to share with government their costs of providing the free childcare places, however since reviewing the information a high proportion of nurseries who responded did not share any figures. Without these figures it has left the department for education in a dilemma as they are unable to understand how much it is costing nurseries to provide these free 30hrs free childcare.
Mr Gyimah said, ‘We have been carrying out the funding review to understand the costs facing providers, which will allow us to set a level of funding needed to deliver high-quality childcare provision, while at the same time providing good value to the taxpayer. The review has been going on for six months. The results will be part of the 25 November Autumn Statement, which the Chancellor will be delivering for the whole Government.
Many nurseries hope the findings will provide them with the answers, as they truly believe many parents will take advantage of the increased hours therefore nurseries are concerned at what this will cost them as a business.
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, said, ‘With many government departments facing cuts at the upcoming Spending Review, it’s vital that the Government ensures that the 30 hours offer is adequately funded. This means more than a one-off uplift in funding rates: fundamental funding system changes are needed to ensure the sustainability of the sector in the long-term. Tinkering around the edges and telling providers to be more ‘innovative’ and ‘creative’ in order to cut costs, is not enough – it is the Government that made this pledge and so it is the Government that must ensure that it is deliverable.
Over 1800 local authorities and providers have shown interest in trailing the 30hrs free childcare.